Lens module

ABSTRACT

A lens module includes a front lens unit and a bottom lens unit. The front lens unit includes a number of first lenses having parallel optical axes. The bottom lens unit is detachably connected to the front lens unit. The bottom lens unit includes a number of second lenses having parallel optical axes.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a lens module.

2. Description of Related Art

Lens modules are used in optical-electric convertors. The lens modulecan be either a refractive-type lens module or a direct-type lensmodule. In refractive-type lens modules, light is bent 90 degrees. Indirect type lens modules, the light directly passes through.

Refractive-type lens modules achieve a small size, but are difficult tomanufacture. The direct-type lens modules are easily manufactured, butare bigger than the refractive-type lens modules.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a lens module that can overcomethe limitations described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, theemphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principlesof the embodiments of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings,like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout severalviews.

FIG. 1 is an assembled schematic view of a lens module, according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explosive view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is another explosive view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 an assembled schematic view of a lens module, according toanother exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a lens module 10, according to an exemplaryembodiment, is shown. The lens module 10 includes a front lens unit 11,a refractive lens unit 12, and a bottom lens unit 13. The front lensunit 11, the refractive lens unit 12, and the bottom lens unit 13 aredetachably connected to each other.

The front lens unit 11 is configured for coupling to optical fibers, therefractive lens unit 12 is configured for reflecting light, and thebottom lens unit 13 is configured for coupling to electric-opticalelements (not shown). The electric-optical elements includelight-emitting elements and light receiving elements.

The front lens unit 11 includes a first surface 11 a and a secondsurface 11 b opposite to the first surface 11 a. A plurality of firstlenses 110 is arranged on the first surface 11 a, and two front locatingelements 111 are located on the second surface 11 b. Each of the firstlenses 110 is coupled to one optical fiber. The optical axes of thefirst lenses 110 are parallel to each other. The front locating elements111 attach the front lens unit 11 to the refractive lens unit 12. Inthis embodiment, the front locating elements 111 are holes. In otherembodiments, the front locating elements 111 can be posts.

The refractive lens unit 12 includes a third surface 12 a, a fourthsurface 12 b, and a fifth surface 12 c. The third surface 12 a isperpendicular to the fourth surface 12 b. The third surface 12 a is alsoperpendicular to the fifth surface 12 c. The fourth surface 12 b isparallel to the fifth surface 12 c. A reflecting surface 120 obliquelyextends from the fourth surface 12 b towards the fifth surface 12 c. Anangle between the reflecting surface 120 and the fourth surface 12 b isabout 45 degrees. Two first locating elements 121 are located on thethird surface 12 a, and two second locating elements 122 are located onthe fifth surface 12 c. The first locating elements 121 are posts, andare received by the front locating elements 111. The second locatingelements 122 attach the refractive lens unit 12 to the bottom lens unit13. In other embodiments, the first locating elements 121 can be holes.The second locating elements 122 are holes, but can be posts in otherembodiments.

The bottom lens unit 13 includes a sixth surface 13 a and a seventhsurface 13 b opposite to the sixth surface 13 a. Two bottom locatingelements 131 are located on the sixth surface 13 a. The bottom locatingelements 131 are posts, and are received by the second locating elements122 to attach the refractive lens unit 12 to the bottom lens unit 13. Aplurality of second lenses 130 is arranged on the seventh surface 13 b.The optical axes of the second lenses 130 are all parallel to eachother. A number of the second lenses 130 is equal to a number of thefirst lenses 110. The alignment of the second lenses 130 is the same asthe alignment of the first lenses 110. The optical axes of the firstlenses 111 is perpendicular to the optical axes of the second lenses130. The bottom locating elements 131 are posts, but can be holes inother embodiments.

Light emitted from the light-emitting elements shine into the bottomlens unit 13 through the second lenses 130. The light passes through thebottom lens unit 13 and shines onto the reflecting surface 120 of therefractive lens unit 12. The light is bent 90 degrees by the reflectingsurface 120, and then enters into the front lens unit 11. Finally, thelight exits from the first lenses 110 of the front lens unit 11.

Light entering from the first lenses 110 shines into the front lens unit11, and is reflected by the reflecting surface 120 of the refractivelens unit 12. The reflected light enters into the bottom lens unit 13.The light receiving elements receive the light exiting from the secondlenses 130 of the bottom lens unit 13. The reflecting surface 120 bendsthe light 90 degrees.

Referring to FIGS. 5-7, another lens module 20, according to anotherexemplary embodiment, is shown. The lens module 20 includes the frontlens unit 11 and the bottom lens unit 13. The lens module 20 is a directtype lens.

The front locating elements 111 of the front lens unit 11 receive thebottom locating elements 131 of the bottom lens unit 13, to attach thefront lens unit 11 to the bottom lens unit 13. Light emitted from thelight-emitting elements passes through the second lenses 130 of thebottom lens unit 13 and exits from the first lenses 110 of the frontlens unit 11. Light entering through the first lenses 110 of the frontlens unit 11 passes through the bottom lens unit 13 and then exits fromthe second lenses 130. The light receiving elements receive the lightexiting from the second lenses 130 of the bottom lens unit 13. For theabove description, the direction of the light is not changed.

The front lens unit 11, the refractive lens unit 12, and the bottom lensunit 13 are separately made, and are easily assembled together, so amanufacturing process of the lens modules is simplified.

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will beunderstood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent thatvarious changes may be made thereto without departing from the spiritand scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferredor exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lens module, comprising: a front lens unitcomprising a plurality of first lenses, the first lenses having paralleloptical axes; and a bottom lens unit detachably connected to the frontlens unit, the bottom lens unit comprising a plurality of second lenses,the second lenses having parallel optical axes.
 2. The lens module ofclaim 1, wherein the front lens unit comprises a front locating element,the bottom lens unit comprises a bottom locating element, the front lensunit is attached to the bottom lens unit by the engagement of the frontlocating element and the bottom locating element.
 3. The lens module ofclaim 2, wherein the front locating element is a hole and the bottomlocating element is a post.
 4. The lens module of claim 2, wherein thefront locating element is a post and the bottom locating element is ahole.
 5. The lens module of claim 1, comprising a refractive lens unitdetachably connected to the front lens unit and the bottom lens unit,the refractive lens unit comprising a reflecting surface, the opticalaxes of the first lenses and the optical axes of the second lensesintersecting on the reflecting surface.
 6. The lens module of claim 5,wherein the front lens unit comprises a front locating element, thebottom lens unit comprises a bottom locating element, the refractivelens unit comprises a first locating element and a second locatingelement, the first locating element is engaged with the front locatingelement to secure the front lens unit to the refractive lens unit, andthe second locating element is engaged with the bottom locating elementto secure the refractive lens unit to the bottom lens unit.
 7. The lensmodule of claim 6, wherein both the front locating element and thesecond locating element are holes, both the first locating element andthe bottom locating element are posts.
 8. The lens module of claim 6,wherein both the front locating element and the bottom locating elementare posts, both the first locating element and the second locatingelement are holes.